Alembic Guitars Club

Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Philip-M-Bass on August 28, 2018, 09:18:50 AM

Title: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 28, 2018, 09:18:50 AM
I suppose some will like this !  :)


Vid is available in HD  click the gear at bottom of screen and select  1080p
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: room037 on August 28, 2018, 10:59:42 AM
Wow !
It's Dragon Bass !
The bass is marked as 78' #999 in my archives. (SN #1000 is Peggy, and #995 has 6 Hat knobs, 3 pointed knobs and 7 Sw !).
These basses have quite unusual spec. I think these are the experimentel specs for innovation.
But the PUs on the rail has been adopted #001.

Very interested !

Eiji
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 28, 2018, 11:14:04 AM
Yes indeed Eiji-San,

Innovation !

Once I picked my jaw up off the floor ,

I watched it around 5 times !

I usually say "eye candy"  but this is more like a 7 course meal !
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 28, 2018, 11:36:54 AM
Interesting, they say '75 - '76 vintage... did it just take until 1978 to complete? I wouldn't be surprised by that, especially given the super-custom nature, it's just that I had always assumed Jimmy J's #76-418 to be the alpha-fiver. Perhaps they all began about the same time and his hatched first?
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 28, 2018, 11:44:44 AM
 Edward,

Sir, I wish I had as much Knowledge of Alembic history as you do,

Thanks for putting up with us "under-class men"  :D


Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 28, 2018, 11:47:07 AM
Edward,

Sir, I wish I had as much Knowledge of Alembic history as you do,

Thanks for putting up with us "under-class men"  :D


Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 28, 2018, 11:55:08 AM
Must have hit the wrong button ,

Did not mean to post the last one twice !
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 28, 2018, 02:11:59 PM
I don't know much of anything that I didn't learn by reading about them here, acoustic1... hence the question.   ;)


(FWIW, Eiji-san is the one with the encyclopedic knowledge, quite literally)
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 28, 2018, 02:22:09 PM
You are too modest ,

many thanks,

Sorry , My name is Philip,

Need to change my club name !

I still think of that time we were searching for the identity of that Honer Black Widow Bass !

have a good evening Sir !
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: David Houck on August 28, 2018, 08:27:32 PM
Very cool!  I think we've got some threads on this bass somewhere on the board.  Thanks for letting us know about the video.
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 29, 2018, 07:08:41 AM
Not at all Sir ,

You da best Dave !

My searches turn up some very interesting stuff at times !

Oh yea , I was able to change my username !  Much easier than I thought !
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: peoplechipper on August 29, 2018, 08:14:25 PM
it's beautiful but with all that purpleheart it must weigh a ton! must've been hell on the tools too...
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: sonicus on August 29, 2018, 11:41:18 PM
I have known about this instrument since the  fellow whose original dream it was  asked Alembic  to have it built .I knew him since the early 1970s when I  purchased two Guild Starfire bass's ( can be seen in show case section) from him and a pair of Alembic A15 infinite baffle speaker cabinets with JBL speakers ( like in the Wall of Sound  , but just a little smaller ) Over the years we traded back and forth various bass items of interest including an Alembic IN-2 that I repaired ( not for sale ). Very sadly he passed away not that long ago .  As per the narrative in this video he was indeed a bass player who played in several pit orchestras in San Francisco including the orchestra in the early production of " Beach Blanket Babylon " _____ We lost track of each other for sometime  including a period of time that he endured and suffered  life changing injuries in a tragic industrial accident . This person was a real dreamer and thinker with a really KIND heart . I was really surprised and pleased to have regained communications with him during the  last decade or so of his life and will miss the technical bass gear conversations with him .  I was very sad when he passed away .
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: jazzyvee on August 30, 2018, 03:59:20 AM
I've always loved this bass. Thanks for sharing your insight into the story behind the bass.
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: dela217 on August 30, 2018, 05:16:11 AM
I have always admired this bass!   While watching the video I had to keep rewinding as he flipped the bass over.   I just LOVE how thick this bass is.   I really like a thick bass.   My Series II is a thick one too.   The bass looks to have low action, but just look how high the bridge is!

Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 30, 2018, 07:09:06 AM
I would also like to say a bit of thanks for the "First Hand" Info !

And for your memories, as painful as they are !

Many thanks Sonicus !

Also Dela217

for the great screen capture !
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: xlrogue6 on August 30, 2018, 09:38:08 AM
I've had the privilege of working on this bass. It is truly amazingly ponderously heavy-definitely a seated-only playing experience. Here's the pics I took while it was in my shop.
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on August 30, 2018, 09:53:36 AM
 :) :) :) :) WOW  ,  Thanks  ;D
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 31, 2018, 04:31:45 AM
Thanks for posting Kent. Great pictures of a classic. Thanks also to Wolf for his recollections.

Wow, what a huge mass of purpleheart and ebony that monster is. The neck heel is huge! I can also see now why the bridge had to be so high and the neck's draft angle so steep- to clear the sliding pickup assembly.

Another observation... just like #72-001, with its relief-carved back, the electronics of this one are front-mounted on a wood plate, leaving the back wide open as palette for some pretty amazing artistry. It's also shaped somewhat like the Casady bass.
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: sonicus on August 31, 2018, 07:43:11 AM
Gregory you have a good eye !  Your observations support what my friend who ask for this build told me . He told me that this bass was inspired from what he saw on the "Casady Bass" 72-001 . In deed that is what he told me .
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: pauldo on August 31, 2018, 08:50:54 PM

That really is a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

Bonus points to Ron for how he brought the rail system all the way back through the bridge.  8)



Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: edwardofhuncote on August 31, 2018, 09:14:57 PM
I can see now, there is a backplate... it's continuous wood too, and one of the dragon's feet overlaps it. What a fascinating bass.
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on September 01, 2018, 06:09:48 AM
In the event anyone is interested,

(Doug Irwin and Thomas Lieber)

Same style Dragon inlay !

https://www.rukind.com/viewtopic.php?t=5927&start=30



Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: elwoodblue on September 01, 2018, 06:53:48 AM
That's quite a thread...almost a sweater  ;D


thanks !!
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: Philip-M-Bass on September 01, 2018, 06:59:41 AM
Thank you as well kind Sir,

kinda knew this vid would turn into "the talk of the town"  as it were !
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: elwoodblue on September 01, 2018, 07:09:51 AM
This quote from the thread stood out...

"Doug gave me a bunch of the wood cut from Tiger's hippie sandwich.
I made pipes from the wood and gave them to friends and family members.
Wonder where all those Tiger pipes are today!!"





 


Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: sonicus on September 01, 2018, 09:51:22 AM
          I have played both of these Doug Irwin Bass's at the original owners home ( Phil  Saam) when he was still with us .
              He also introduced me to Doug Irwin who later did some custom work for me on both of my Guild Starfire bass's that I had previously purchased from him . Phil Saam also introduced me to George Mundy who  did some custom electronic work  for me as well on one of my Starfire bass's ( I sold that in 1978 ,it can be found on this site ) I still own the other one . This was all about the same time as Mr.Lesh was getting work done on his as well by Mr.Mundy . I was really young at the time and full of questions . I was fortunate that both Doug ,and George enjoyed explaining and informing inquisitive minds . The same is true for everyone that I encountered at the old Alembic location on 60 Brady St. Everyone was kind to the KID with 20 questions and they always invited  me to show up anytime with more questions . I have been an Alembic customer since I had a brass bridge with block and tail piece installed on the Starfire that I kept. That was about 1974 .
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: the_home on September 01, 2018, 02:48:54 PM
I so appreciate that this group allows us to join in the heritage/legacy of Alembic. What a great benefit from club membership.
Title: Re: Video ! Prairie Sun Recording -- 1975-1976 Alembic 5-String Bass !
Post by: pauldo on September 01, 2018, 08:50:53 PM
.  Oops, never mind....